The present invention relates to moisture management within a building structure such as an exterior wall, roof or like structure.
A wall, roof or like structure of a building may include an inner sheathing member to which an exterior building material, such as exterior cladding or the like, is applied to form an exterior envelope or outer surface of the building. During wall or roof assembly, it is common practice to apply an intermediate water resistive covering or like layer over the inner sheathing member such that the water resistive covering is located between the inner sheathing member and the exterior cladding or like exterior building material. By way of example, the coverings may include building paper, tar paper, roofing felt, house or building wrap materials, and the like.
In some instances, moisture may penetrate the assembly and collect behind the cladding. For example, a so-called bulk water entry event may occur in which moisture penetrates the cladding during wind driven rain or the like entering via a leak or cladding failure. Moisture that penetrates the cladding will prematurely deteriorate the wall, roof or like building structure and permit mold growth if the moisture is permitted to accumulate therein.
Thus, for purposes of preventing moisture accumulation within such structures, a layer of an openwork material can be applied over the water resistive covering before the exterior cladding is installed to thereby create drainage passageways and an open air-space within the wall, roof or like building structure directly behind the exterior cladding. When such a material is installed within a wall, roof or like building structure, moisture penetrating the cladding is permitted to drain or/and evaporate and a better building envelope is provided that improves the sustainability of the building structure or home.
In some instances, moisture may collect behind the building paper, house-wrap, or the like such as when the paper or wrap tears or due to improper installation. In addition, vapor may migrate through the wall assembly from the interior of the building and condense as water on the sheathing members behind the paper or wrap.
Accordingly, a need remains for a drainage-promoting wrap that can be utilized in an exterior wall, roof or like structural assembly of a building to quickly and efficiently drain moisture that penetrates exterior cladding of walls, roofs and like building structures including when moisture enters or condenses behind the building paper, house-wrap, or the like.